Beginnings
by Pen and Paper71
Summary: Everything around her seemed so new and different. Even her own feelings had begun to change. Apollo/Vera and implied Phoenix/Iris. AJ/GS4 spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: A very special thank you goes to Xero Wright for proofing this for me. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: These characters and anything associated with them do not belong to me. I'm just playing with them a bit.

Vera shuddered slightly as she took a deep breath and tucked her drawing pad under her arm, her mind consumed with fear as she stared out through the open door. It had been two weeks since her trial had ended and she had been released from the hospital after almost dying of Atroquinine poisoning. Vera could still remember the promise she made that day after waking up to finally stop hiding from the world and take back her life. As she looked outside now though, Vera could feel her mouth go dry and her heart start pounding harder. Just as she was about to give up, a gentle hand settled on her arm, drawing her attention.

"Are you okay, Vera?" Apollo asked, the concern obvious in his voice. He had been trying to encourage her to venture outside and after two weeks worth of daily visits, today she had finally agreed, but as he watched her now, Apollo worried that perhaps he was pushing her too quickly. He didn't want to frighten her more by rushing things. "If this is too much we can wait, Vera. There's no rush."

"No!" Although Vera spoke softly, the amount of force in her voice surprised Apollo. Grabbing his hand tightly and pulling herself close to his side, Vera spoke again timidly. "I... I want to this. Please. I'm ready now, Mr. Justice."

Smiling proudly at her, he put his arm around her waste to encourage her. "Okay, Vera. If you think you're ready... and I told you that you could call me Apollo."

"O-okay," Vera stuttered, surprised to feel her face redden a bit under his kind gaze and pulled away from him for a moment. There was something about him that brought out feelings in her that she had never felt before and that she had trouble understanding. They weren't unpleasant, just different. Not quite sure what to do with those feelings, she was quick to push them aside. Pulling the small pad from under her arm, she drew a big smiley face and showed it to him causing Apollo's smile to widen which pleased her even more. Clutching his arm again, Vera closed her eyes as she followed Apollo outside. The feel of the uneven ground was so different from the smooth floors inside her home and for a second her mind was seized with fear again. The outside world was dangerous and as long as she was outside, the threat felt very real.

Seeing her uncertainty, Apollo reached out and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay, Vera," he whispered softly into her ear. "Open your eyes and look around. You're outside and nothing has happened. You can always trust me, Vera. I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

Taking comfort in his words, Vera opened her eyes slowly and looked around. Despite the fact that she had lived in this area for a long time, Vera had spent most of her life hiding away from the outside world and this was this was first time in a long time that she had really looked at her surroundings.

As the sun shone down on them, Apollo watched Vera carefully to make sure that she was okay. He was pleased that the day was so nice and even happier as he noticed her start to relax. Still holding her hand, he squeezed it again softly, pulling her attention back to him. "Do you want to walk a bit?"

After pulling her free hand to her face and nibbling on her fingernail, Vera finally nodded. Together they then started to make their way down the street slowly with Vera staying very close to Apollo. The sights and sounds were all so new and frightening, but Apollo's firm grasp on her hand gave her the needed boost of confidence to persevere. As the time passed, Vera found herself able to relax more and enjoy the walk.

As a loud barking suddenly filled the air, disrupting the peaceful outing, Vera jumped up fearfully and huddled close to Apollo again, burying her head in his chest. Glancing worriedly at Vera who was now trembling, Apollo wrapped his arms around her as he tried to comfort her. "It's okay, Vera," he said, his voice strong and soothing. "That sound is just a dog's bark. There is nothing to be worried about. Promise." Feeling Vera relax some in his arms, Apollo breathed a sigh of relief as he turned his attention from Vera for a second and scanned the area for the source of the disturbance and saw a woman walking her dog; an excitable collie who was now straining on the leash and barking at a nearby tree. Considering the situation carefully, Apollo turned his attention back to Vera as he finally came to his conclusion. "Vera, I have an idea, but I don't want to push you too hard your first time out. How are you feeling?"

Breathing deeply, Vera tried to collect herself enough to come to a decision and answer his question. Although still shaken by her experience, the feel of Apollo's comforting embrace and the understanding in his soft eyes gave her the necessary confidence boost to continue. Although Vera knew that the world could be a dangerous place, she had learned recently that hiding from it was not the answer. Besides, she knew she could trust Apollo completely. If he believed this plan would help, then she was ready for this. Vera's voice was barely audible as she spoke, "I'm okay... I trust you."

Squeezing her hand reassuringly, Apollo smiled. "I'm going to go talk to that woman over there and if she's okay with, I'm going to bring her dog over here." Seeing Vera's eyes fly open at this idea, Apollo spoke again quickly, her hand still gripped tightly in his own as he tried to comfort her again. "You don't need to worry, Vera. We won't go any further with this than you're ready to go. I promise." Pausing for a second, Apollo frowned for a second. "Are you sure you're okay with this? You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Vera?"

"...No...no, I'm ready," Vera stuttered a bit as she spoke, but there was a determination in her voice that surprised Apollo. Picking up her pad, Vera drew a smiley face to reassure him that she was ready.

"Okay," Apollo smiled quickly as he dropped her hand and jogged over to where the woman was now. Vera watched anxiously as they spoke and Apollo played with the dog for several minutes, convinced that something bad was going to happen to him, but to her great relief, the conversation passed without incident and Apollo returned to her quickly with the collie by his side. Having calmed down quite a bit since the earlier excitement, the dog now sat by Apollo's side calmly and wagged his tail happily. Stroking the dog's head, Apollo turned to Vera. "Vera, this is Scooter. I talked to his owner and she says he is a very nice dog. He wanted to come over and say hello."

"H-he's very pretty," Vera said as she inspected the collie carefully. Although still nervous, she took a step towards the dog. "Hello, Scooter." The dog wagged his tail faster in response to her voice, but Apollo kept a firm hand on the leash to make sure there were no sudden movements from Scooter that might frighten Vera. "Is it okay if I pet him like you're doing?" Vera asked, glancing up at Apollo.

Smiling kindly, Apollo nodded. "Go ahead. Let him smell your hand first so that he knows you're friendly."

Following his instructions, Vera did just that. Moving slowly, Vera cautiously reached out to pet the dog's head, running her finger's over Scooter's silky fur. The collie's tail now wagged at full speed as the dog leaned into Vera's touch, causing a genuine smile to cross her face. "He's really nice!" Pulling out her pad, Vera started to sketch something furiously.

Apollo watched her curiously as Vera continued to draw on her pad. "What are you working on?"

"I-I want to draw Scooter. He's so pretty and nice. I want to make sure I have a picture of him," Vera answered, her gaze shifting to Apollo for just a second as she answered his question before returning to her drawing. "Done," Vera announced happily, finally setting aside her pencil. Kneeling beside Scooter, Vera showed the dog her sketch. "See, Scooter. That's you."

Sniffing at the drawing, Scooter nudged it gently with his nose. Apollo chuckled softly at the scene in front of him, immensely pleased at how well Vera was doing. "I think Scooter approves." Glancing over his shoulder to where Scooter's owner was waiting, Apollo let out a disappointed sigh at having to end this early, but he had promised Scooter's owner that he wouldn't keep her dog long. She had been kind enough to allow him to borrow Scooter temporarily and it wouldn't be fair to repay her kindness by abusing it. Besides, Vera had made incredible progress today and it would be best to end this experience on a good note.

As though reading his mind, Vera asked, "Is it time to say good bye to Scooter?"

Nodding, Apollo responded gently. "Yeah, he has to go home now. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes, it's okay," Vera said, giving Scooter a final goodbye pat. "It was very nice to meet you, Scooter."

After Apollo had returned Scooter to his owner with an immense amount of thanks, Vera and Apollo headed back to the studio. As they reached the studio's front door, Apollo's cell phone started to ring and with a glance at the incoming number, he shot Vera an apologetic look and answered it. "Hey, Trucy." Apollo fell silent for several moments as he listened intently. "Huh? You are officially not making sense." After a few more moments of silence, Apollo sighed heavily, "I'll be over soon, Trucy. Let me finish up with Vera. I'll see you soon." Finally hanging up the phone, Apollo started to explain the situation, but Vera spoke up first.

"... You have to leave?" Vera asked, surprised by the amount of disappointment welling up inside her at the thought of him leaving.

Apollo nodded slowly, the disappointment obvious on his own face. "I'm sorry, Vera. Trucy needs some help with something for her magic show and Mr. Wright is out of town until later tonight. If I don't go give her a hand, I'll never get any peace."

Taking a step toward her, Apollo brushed a bit of her hair aside causing Vera to blush at the feel of his fingers against her face, sending a rush of warmth through her. It was that new feeling again. It was both strange and yet comforting in some way.

Apollo suddenly seemed to realize what he had been doing. His own face went red as he pulled his hand away, much to Vera's surprise and disappointment. "I-I'm sorry, Vera. I guess my mind was wandering a bit." Trying to bluff his way past his own discomfort, Apollo continued to speak, his voice suddenly quick and nervous, "So, I should be going I guess. Will you be okay?"

Not understanding his reaction, Vera drew a smiley face on her pad in a quick attempt to reassure him. "You'll come back tomorrow, right?" she asked shyly, already looking forward to the next day.

Apollo nodded. "Of course I'll be back. I wouldn't miss a visit with you." As Apollo turned to leave, he hesitated. Turning back to face Vera, he asked, "How are you feeling after our adventure today?"

Surprised by the sudden question, Vera responded by drawing another smiley face. "I had so much fun. It was wonderful. Why?"

Tilting his head slightly, he smiled gently. "How would you like to go to Trucy's magic show tonight? I know you like magic and she's been bugging me to bring you anyway. I'd go help Trucy set up and then swing back here to pick you up. Of course there will be a decent crowd, so if you don't feel up to it yet..."

"I'd love to," Vera responded quickly, her eyes shining and a rare smile on her face. The second of the day, Apollo was pleased to note. "I-I'd like to go see Trucy's magic. Will she use the Amazing Mr. Hat tonight as well?"

Rolling his eyes a bit, Apollo laughed, "I can pretty much guarantee that she will. Mr. Hat is one of her favorite tricks. She uses it all the time. So you'd like to go?" Seeing Vera nod vehemently, Apollo grinned. "I'll be back in a couple hours to pick you up then. I'll see you soon, Vera."

"Goodbye... Apollo," Vera responded quietly before they parted. As she closed the door, Vera glanced anxiously at the clock. Although she didn't fully understand these feelings he caused in her yet, they were becoming more and more welcome. Smiling at the thought of seeing him again so soon, Vera knew these next two hours couldn't pass quick enough for her.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N-So at the urging of one of my reviewers, I decided to add another chapter on to this story. I rarely do longer stories, but I figured I'd give it a try so this story is tentatively ongoing at the moment. We'll see how long this lasts. Please let me know what you think. Reviews are great encouragement and are always appreciated. Special thanks to Xero Wright for beta-ing this chapter for me.

Clutching her sketchbook tightly to her chest, Vera began to tremble as Apollo opened the front door to the Wonder Bar, fighting to restrain her panic as the noise of the rowdy crowd drifted through the door. Suddenly the confidence she had managed to build up during the cab ride here with Apollo had vanished to be replaced by intense fear. Still trembling, Vera pressed herself close to Apollo's side, taking comfort in his presence.

Glancing worriedly at Vera, Apollo reached out to grab her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Not wanting to push her too quickly, he closed the door to the building and turned his attention to the frightened young woman at his side. "Vera, are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle to keep from scaring her more. Getting no reaction from Vera, he frowned as his concern deepened and spoke again using a slightly louder voice. "Vera. Vera, please look at me." Placing his free hand beneath her chin, he gently pushed her head up so that he could see her face. "Vera, please answer me. Are you okay?"

Surprised by the feel of Apollo's gentle touch on her chin, a slight blush spread across her face as a wave of pleasure ran through her back forcing the crippling fear. Upset by the worry in his voice, Vera nodded and tried to respond. Still shaky from the experience, her voice wavered as she spoke. "I-I'm o-okay n-now. Seeing the worry reflected in his eyes intensify, Vera took a deep breath to steady herself before talking again so that her voice wouldn't shake when she spoke. As her courage began to return to her slowly, Vera drew a smiley face on her pad to reassure him. "I-It's really okay. I'm not sure what came over me there, but I feel better now. I-I'm sorry if I worried you."

"You don't need to apologize, Vera," Apollo told her with a smile as he watched her carefully. Looking over at the building's entrance, he lapsed into silence for a few moments as he thought things through, not wanting to risk scaring Vera like that again. Finally coming to a decision, he suggested, "Why don't we go in the back? I'll call Trucy's cell phone and ask her to open it for us." Turning back to Vera, Apollo watched her reaction carefully as he asked his next question. "Are you sure you still want to do this?"

Vera hesitated as she considered Apollo's question, nibbling on her fingernail as she thought it over. Although still nervous about being surrounded by all those strangers, she really did want to see Trucy's show. She had loved magic since the first time she saw it performed when she was very young, and here she had an opportunity to see magic performed live on stage again. Her fear of the outside world had controlled he life for a long time and although Vera could still feel that fear well, the fear of allowing another opportunity to slip away, as had happened with so many other experiences in the past, scared her far more. Besides, she thought as she glanced over at Apollo who was waiting patiently for her decision, everything always seemed to be much less frightening when he was with her. As she reached her decision, Vera found she was able to actually smile rather then just drawing one as she had done earlier. "I-I really want to watch Trucy's show. Please."

"Okay," Apollo said, grinning at her response. Pulling out his cell phone, he quickly called Trucy to make his request and then led Vera to the back of the building where Trucy was waiting for them.

"Apollo! Vera!" Trucy cried out happily when she saw them, clearly fighting the urge to let go of the door she was holding open and rush over them. Placing her hands on her hips, she called out impatiently, "Well, get over here already!"

"Come on, Vera," he said, chuckling softly at Trucy's eagerness and giving Vera's hand a gentle tug, "We should get over there before Trucy gets annoyed at us for making her wait." Seeing Vera nod her approval, they jogged over.

"Vera! You actually made it!" Trucy cried happily, her eyes shining as she spoke. "Apollo mentioned that you were coming, but I thought he was just teasing me." Touching her hand to her hat, Trucy's smile widened. "Are there any special tricks you want to see tonight?"

Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the outgoing girl's enthusiasm, it took Vera a few moments before she could voice a response. "Well, maybe..." Vera started to say, but then hesitated. Changing her mind, her gaze fell to the ground, "N-no, I don't need anything special. I'm sure whatever you choose will be wonderful."

Surprised by the sudden shift in Vera's response and recalling her request for Mr. Hat earlier, Apollo glanced over at Vera, confused that she hadn't mentioned anything to Trucy about what she wanted to see. Realization came over Apollo as he watched Vera fiddle with her sketch book with her eyes downcast that she must be too nervous to make the request. Although he knew that Vera trusted Trucy a great deal, he also knew that she was still nervous from her earlier experience. Having never been a big fan of Trucy's Mr. Hat trick, Apollo sighed heavily and reminded himself that he was doing this for Vera's sake. If it made her happy, then he would simply have to deal with it. "Trucy, you were planning to use Mr. Hat tonight, right?"

"Huh? Mr. Hat?" Trucy asked. Tilting her head back a bit, she crossed her arms across her chest as a thoughtful expression came over her face. "Probably. The Amazing Mr. Hat always manages to wow the crowd." As Trucy tucked one hand behind her, a large figure suddenly loomed beside her draped in a blue costume similar to the one Trucy wore. "Isn't that right, Mr. Hat?"

"But of course," Mr. Hat appeared to respond, eliciting the biggest smile of the night from Vera.

Although cringing slightly at the puppet's appearance, Apollo had to admit that Trucy was quite good at that trick. Had he not known better, he might well have believed that Mr. Hat had spoken. "Why don't you save that for later?"

"Well, if you insist, Polly," Trucy said cheerfully, tucking the puppet away again. "My show is about to begin. I think Daddy went to go reserve a table, so you guys should go meet up with him."

"Is your dad here?" Apollo asked. Phoenix rarely missed his daughter's magic shows, but he'd received a call the previous night which had convinced him that he needed to go out town the next day. Although he had been rather secretive about where he was going, Phoenix had promised to try and return in time for Trucy's show, but they still hadn't heard from him by the time Apollo had left to go get Vera. "I was starting to think he wouldn't make it back in time."

"Daddy got here about ten minutes ago," Trucy responded happily. "I knew he'd make it. He promised that he'd try his best, after all. I think he's sitting somewhere in near the stage. After I mentioned to Daddy that you said Vera was coming, he decided to go find a spot for you guys that wouldn't be too stressful for her."

Apollo smiled, relieved to hear that Phoenix seemed to have the situation under control. Squeezing Vera's hand gently, he asked, "Will you be okay with Trucy for a couple moments while I go talk to Mr. Wright? I won't be gone long."

After a moment's hesitation, Vera released his hand as she opened up her sketch pad. Although she scribbled a smiley face on the pad, Apollo noticed how much she had tensed up at the suggestion and made a mental note to himself to keep his absence very brief. After shooting her a reassuring smile, Apollo walked quickly toward the entrance of the other room, his eyes scanning the room for Phoenix amongst the crowd. It didn't take long as he was sitting at a small table near the stage which he had pulled away from the rest of the crowd.

Catching Phoenix's eyes, the older man smiled and walked over to greet him, leaving his blue hat behind to reserve the table. "Welcome back, Apollo," Phoenix said cheerfully, his eyes briefly scanning the area around them. His search failing, a small frown crossed Phoenix's face. "I take it you couldn't get Vera to come."

"No, she's here, Mr. Wright," Apollo assured him. "I figured that it might be smarter to check out the room first and make sure there were no surprises waiting for us."

Phoenix's smile returned at this and he nodded his approval. "Sounds smart. She's been through a lot recently, so there's no point in rushing her. How's she doing?" he asked inquisitively.

"Vera's doing great," Apollo grinned. "There have been a few rough patches today, but she handled them like a pro."

"That's good to hear, Apollo," Phoenix said, a glint of pride reflecting in his eyes. "I've been quite worried about her, but it sounds like you have things under control. Do you need help getting her in here?"

"No, I think I've got it," Apollo responded quickly, shaking his head. With that he headed back to where he left Vera and, after wishing Trucy good luck with her act, they headed back to the audience. It took several minutes of gentle coaxing, but Apollo did finally manage to get Vera over to the table where Phoenix was waiting for them.

There was little time for the three of them to speak before the lights dimmed and the show began. Trucy performed trick after trick, each more miraculous then the last, which the crowd greeted with loud approval. Vera particularly watched the show with wide-eyed delight, completely entranced by the spectacles being performed on stage. As entertaining as Trucy's show was, Apollo found it strange that his gaze kept drifting back to Vera. There was just something special about her, although he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. As he watched Vera now, her beautiful smile lighting up her face, he felt himself smile as well. He might not know exactly what to make of all this, but the one thing that he knew for sure was that he was happy right at that moment simply being near her.

A soft chuckle from beside Apollo interrupted his thoughts. Glancing over at the source of the sound, he spotted Phoenix watching him with a familiar smirk on his face. His face reddened a bit as he realized he'd been caught staring at Vera. Groaning inwardly, Apollo mentally braced himself for the teasing that he knew would come later, and with great difficulty finally managed to redirect his eyes toward the stage.

The next two hours seemed to pass far too quickly. After Trucy's show, which came to a dramatic conclusion with an unusually long performance by Mr. Hat, the four of them had stopped by Eldoon's noodle stand for dinner. Although Vera certainly still had a long way to go before she would be able to truly conquer her fears, Apollo couldn't help but feel his chest swell up with pride as Vera returned Eldoon's greeting with a soft hello rather then trying to retreat from the situation as she normally did.

After dinner, the small group split up as Phoenix took Trucy home, reminding her that she still had school the next day. After saying their goodbyes, Apollo called a cab to take him and Vera back to her home. As the cab pulled to a stop in front of the building, he was surprised to hear a disappointed sigh come from Vera. Glancing over her, he noticed that she was staring out the window at her home. Laying a gentle hand on her arm to get her attention, Apollo asked, "Is something wrong?"

Startled by the sudden flutter in her chest at his touch, Vera paused a moment before answering. "N-no," she answered, blushing slightly under his steady gaze. Diverting her gaze, she added, "It's nothing."

His gaze never leaving her face, Apollo knew instantly that she wasn't being truthful. Even without using his talents, Vera's uncertainty was clearly reflected on her face. "Vera, I know that isn't true. Please tell me what's wrong."

As she turned back to face him, their eyes met and she could feel her face redden more. Silence fell between them for a few minutes as Vera found herself at a loss for words, unsure about how to express herself. "I guess I'm just a bit disappointed to see the evening end. It's been so wonderful with Mr. Wright, Trucy... and you. It... it gets lonely here." Her eyes watered a bit as she finished speaking, turning her eyes back to the empty house.

"I'm sorry, Vera," Apollo said softly, touching her hand. Silence stretched between them again as Apollo grasped for the words to comfort her. Hesitantly, Apollo spoke up again as he came to a decision. "Why... why don't I stop by early tomorrow and you can come to the office with me? Trucy and I don't have any big plans. She won't even make it to the office until after school and you can bring your painting stuff with you. If it works out for everyone, we can can make it a regular thing."

"Really?" Vera asked, brightening up some at the suggestion. "W-would that really be okay?"

"I don't see why not." His face lit up as another idea came to him. Shuffling through his wallet, Apollo pulled one of his business cards and scribbled several numbers on to it. "Why don't you take this too, Vera," he said, handing over the card. "I've written my cell phone, home phone, and the office phone numbers so you can always reach me. If you ever need me or just need someone to talk to, promise me that you'll call. Okay?"

Although the pain of her father's death still remained with her, Vera found herself able to smile again as she took the card from Apollo. "I-I will," she promised as she stared intently at the small card. "Thank you."

"No problem. You don't need to worry about being alone, Vera. I'll always be here if you need me," Apollo grinned as he got out of the taxi and walked around to her side of the car. Opening the door for her, Apollo offered her his hand. "Come on. I'll walk you to the door."

Quickly reaching out to take his hand, Vera held on to it tightly as she proceeded to follow him up the pathway leading toward her home. Gazing upward, Vera marveled at how beautiful the night sky truly was. When she had been younger, her father had shown her books with pictures of the sky, but none of those books truly did it justice. It was far more incredible than any picture could ever hope to capture. She really had missed so much by locking herself away from everything, but now she understood things more clearly. Never again would she allow herself to forget what she had learned over the last couple of weeks.

As they reached her front door and she turned to face Apollo, their eyes met and she blushed under his kind gaze. Vera knew she still had a great deal to learn, but with him there to help her, she felt confident that things would be okay. The world wasn't nearly as frightening as she'd always imagined. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?" Vera asked softly, her eyes sparkling hopefully.

"Yeah, I'll be here bright and early tomorrow morning," Apollo confirmed, smiling reassuringly at her. "You can count on that. ... Sleep well, Vera."

"You too, Apollo," Vera responded with a shy smile. "Good night."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Special thanks to Franzise Deauxnim at the Court Records forum for proofing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. Reviews are love and happiness.

Biting her lip gently, Vera sat back in her chair and sighed softly as she stared at the half-finished painting in front of her. She'd never had so much trouble focusing on her work before today. As she glanced over her canvas and set down one of the paints that she had brought with her to the office, her eyes fell on the young defense attorney laying on one of the couches and reading the large book in his hands.

True to his word, Apollo had picked her up at eight that morning to bring her to the Wight Anything Agency. Although a bit intimidated by the brightly colored office when they had first arrived, Vera found herself able to adapt to the new environment quicker then normal with Apollo by her side. A comfortable feeling had fallen over them as they both found themselves occupied by their own tasks, with occasional conversation passing between them.

As though sensing her gaze on him, Apollo's eyes suddenly shifted towards her, causing Vera to quickly redirect her eyes back to the canvas in front of her and try to look busy as her cheeks flushed furiously. Lifting her paint brush, Vera took a deep breath and glanced over at the various paints beside her, forcing herself to intently contemplate her next color choice in an attempt to take her mind off of her companion.

"What are you painting?" Vera jumped a bit as Apollo's voice suddenly came from behind her. In her efforts to take her mind off of him, she had failed to hear his approach. Seeing her reaction, Apollo's face creased with concern. "Are you okay, Vera?"

After taking another moment to collect her thoughts, Vera finally managed a quick nod. As the shock wore off a bit more, Vera found herself able to squeak out a stuttering response. "Y-yes. I-I'm f-fine."

Still worried by her response, Apollo frowned as he mentally berated himself for being so foolish. "I'm sorry, Vera. I didn't mean to frighten you..."

"You didn't," Vera interrupted him suddenly, the unexpected amount of forcefulness in her tone shocking Apollo into silence. Although she could feel herself begin to blush and she could hear her mind screaming at her to back down, she couldn't stand the thought of his being upset, particularly about something she had done. "I'm really fine. It wasn't you. I was just a bit distracted and that's not your fault at all. I-I'm sorry to have worried you." Her outburst came to an abrupt end and Vera fell silent again as she averted her eyes, suddenly overcome by an intense uncertainty as she tried to figure out what had just come over her. As the silence stretched on between them, Vera's face flushed to an even deeper red and she began to nibble on a fingernail as she waited for Apollo's response.

Apollo's soft chuckle broke through the lingering silence, dispelling some of the awkwardness in the situation. Surprised by his reaction, Vera allowed herself to sneak a quick glance at his face and found that his gentle smile had returned to his face again. "I think that's all settled then. Why don't we pretend this whole incident never happened?"

Smiling gently, Vera was quick to nod her approval. Suddenly the phone rang sharply, breaking the peaceful quiet that had overtaken the office. Startled by the unexpected noise, Vera jumped to her feet, knocking the paints beside her to the ground. Gasping softly, Vera fell to her knees in a single-minded attempt to pick up the fallen paints before they could spill onto the carpet.

As Vera reached for a bottle of red paint which had fallen only a few inches away, her hand collided with another's. Retracting her hand quickly, Vera glanced up at the source of the extra hand to see Apollo kneeling beside her as he helped to clean up the mess.

As their eyes met, Apollo withdrew his hand quickly, his face flushing furiously as he stuttered an apology. "I-I'm so-rry-y, V-Vera. I-I d-didn't me-an..." His voice trailed off as he looked away.

Vera could feel her own face redden as she pulled her hand away quickly, her previous task forgotten as she tried to make sense of the light flutter in her chest that occurred at his touch. Flustered by the experience, Vera found herself unable to speak for several moments.

The awkward silence stretched between them and was finally broken as the phone began to ring again. Sighing softly, Apollo smiled at Vera before excusing himself to go answer the phone. Vera found her eyes following him as he headed over to the table.

Putting the phone to his ear, Apollo said, "Hello? Oh, hello Ms. Hawthorne." Falling silent as he listened, Apollo began to search through the mess on the small table. Smiling triumphantly, Apollo liberated a small pad from the mess and laid it in front of him. "I'm afraid Mr. Wright isn't in now. Would you like me to take a message?" Apollo nodded as he listened. "Okay, I'll let him know." Hanging up the phone, Apollo sighed as he glanced around the room.

"Who was that?" Vera asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"An old friend of Mr. Wright's, apparently. I actually don't know much more. Mr. Wright doesn't talk about himself much and even Trucy is unusually quiet about her. Mr. Wright seems quite fond of her when he does talk about her, though. Anyway, she couldn't reach him on his cell phone and so she decided to try calling the office," Apollo answered as he cleared some of Trucy's magic tricks off of the large piano in the room. Hesitating for a moment, Apollo set the note on the table by the couch. "I never know where to put stuff for Mr. Wright. He doesn't really spend that much time here and there doesn't appear to be one area where he always looks. I'll have to remember to mention Ms. Hawthorne's call next time I see him."

"Wouldn't it be better to set it on the piano?" Vera asked innocently. "I thought he played."

"Not quite," Apollo said with a teasing grin. "Mr. Wright never goes near that piano if he can help it. Trucy tends to use it as a table for her props."

"Oh really?" Vera asked in surprise. As she began to question further, her eyes drifted back to the soiled carpet and she faltered for a moment. Reaching for a rag by her, Vera turned her attention back to cleaning up the spilled paints. As she began roughly scrubbing the floors, frustration ran through her as the paint failed to come off the ground. A sigh escaped her as she sat back for a moment and sadly inspected the mess in front of her.

"Vera, would you mind moving over for a second?" Apollo said as he knelt down beside her again, his sudden appearance at her side causing her to a jump a bit. Calming down quickly as he squeezed her hand reassuringly, Vera could feel her cheeks flush as he moved closer to her. Having not heard or seen Apollo leave, Vera was surprised to see that he was no longer empty-handed but instead was holding a small spray bottle and a sponge. Nodding timidly, Vera moved aside and watched with wide eyes as he began to remove the stain with a surprising ease thanks to the spray. As the last of the paint came off, Apollo straightened up and smiled at Vera. "There we go. All fixed."

Clapping her hands together in delight, Vera smiled brightly at him. "T-thank you so much! I was so worried..." Vera stopped speaking abruptly and her head jerked towards the door as loud voices began to emanate through it. Frozen in terror, Vera trembled as she backed away from the door as the door opened.

Mentally cursing, Apollo jumped to his feet and pushed the door shut. Locking it quickly, he turned to check on Vera who sat on the floor, chewing nervously on her fingernail. Settling down beside Vera, Apollo tried to ease her fears. Laying his hand on her arm, he said gently, "It's okay, Vera. I promise that you're safe."

His touch drawing her attention towards him, Vera took a deep breath and managed a small nod.

At the sound of the door being unlocked from the outside, Apollo shot Vera a reassuring smile, pleased to see her manage a weak smile of her own despite her fear, and headed out the door in an attempt to get a handle on the situation. To his surprise, Trucy and three of her friends were the source of the noise. Still distracted by his concern for Vera, he stared blankly at the kids for a moment before finally turning to Trucy. "Shouldn't you guys be at school?"

"Huh?" Trucy asked, confused by the question. "Not anymore, Polly. School let out fifteen minutes ago just like always." Crossing her arms in front of her, she commented thoughtfully, "I thought you knew that."

"Oh right," Apollo said slowly as he checked his watch. "I guess I... just forgot." As his eyes darted back towards the closed door, he added, "Time got away from me today."

"Is something wrong, Apollo?" Trucy asked, hearing the hesitation in his tone and recalling the strangeness of his behavior. "Why did you slam the door like that anyway?"

Pausing a moment to collect himself, he refocused on Trucy and her friends. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that Vera's here, and all this commotion is upsetting her."

"Vera? Why is she here, and why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have brought anybody by if I'd known!" Trucy cried, placing her hands on her hips.

"Trucy, maybe we should go," suggested the girl next to Trucy with shoulder length, light brown hair. As Apollo took a closer look at the girl for the first time, a vague recollection crossed his mind. Although he couldn't remember where he had seen her before, he was certain that he had seen her face at a previous time.

Hesitating a moment as she considered the offer, Trucy finally turned back to her friends. "Why don't you hang out, Pearl. I'll only be a moment so I can check on Vera and get that book you wanted to borrow before you headed back to Kurain. Then we'll meet up with you guys." Trucy nodded at her two other friends who, after quick murmurs of consent, left the building. "So what's the best way for me to go into the office without scaring Vera?" Trucy asked worriedly. "And why didn't you tell me she was here?"

Sighing quietly, Apollo said, "The whole idea didn't even come up until I dropped her off at her home and it was late when I made it back to my apartment. I didn't want to disturb you and your dad with a late night call. It didn't occur to me that you would stop by with a whole big group of people like this, so..." Apollo's voice trailed off as he heard the door behind him open. Twisting around to face the door, Apollo's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Vera peeking through the half open door. "V-Vera?"

"I-I j-just wa-nt-ed to ch-eck on y-you," Vera said, her voice trembling as she spoke. As she got a better look outside and realized that only one stranger was waiting, her confidence built and she opened the door a little wider. "I-I was w-worried about you," she added shyly, her eyes falling to the ground.

A gentle smile crossed his face as a wave of pride and affection spread through him. Reaching for her hand, he wrapped his fingers firmly around her own.

Her confidence building from his touch, Vera glanced up to meet his eyes and smiled. Taking another couple of tentative steps, Vera moved to stand by Apollo's side, gripping his hand tightly. "Hello Trucy." Vera said with a smile. As she turned to greet the other girl, she hesitated nervously.

"Hi," the brown haired girl said brightly,extending her hand to Vera who shied away at first.

Finally, after gathering her courage and holding onto Apollo's hand even tighter, Vera swallowed nervously and accepted the other girl's hand. With a soft but surprisingly steady voice, Vera greeted the girl. "Hi. I'm Vera Misham. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Pearl Fey," the girl chimed in pleasantly. "It's great to meet you also."

Apollo smiled as Vera relaxed, her tight grip on his hand loosening a bit. As she glanced over at him, their eyes met and they exchanged smiles. Things were certainly looking better each day.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So... here's another chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. Please leave me a review and let me know what you guys think. As things stand now, this story will probably only be a couple more chapters (if that), but that could change if I get decent feedback. On a side note, sixteen year old Pearl plays a large role in this chapter and refers to Phoenix as "Nick" and not "Mr. Nick" because I have trouble seeing older Pearl still using her childhood nickname for him, so that's an intended change in Pearl's behavior. Special thanks to Franzise Deauxnim at the Court Records forum for proofing this chapter. Enjoy!

As the electronic doors slid open, Vera took a shaky breath and pulled her sketchbook to her chest. Although her adjustment to the outside world had been slow and difficult at times, Vera had made a great deal of progress over the past month, so when Pearl and Trucy had decided to stop by the magic shop in the nearby mall, Vera had felt fairly confident when she asked to accompany them. Now as she stood frozen in place, Vera could feel her security fading fast. This had seemed so much simpler in the security of the office.

"Are you okay, Vera?" Pearl asked, concerned by the older girl's hesitation. After exchanging a worried glance with Trucy, Pearl spoke up again. "Vera?"

The more forward of the two, Trucy took a step towards Vera and tapped her softly on the arm to get her attention.

Although recoiling a bit at the unexpected touch, Vera managed to pull herself together quickly and focus her attention on Trucy and Pearl. "I-I'm okay," Vera responded sheepishly, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry for taking so long. Should we go inside now?"

"Are you sure?" Trucy asked cautiously, recalling Apollo's warning not to push Vera too quickly. Apollo had been rather uneasy when he heard about the girls' plans, but gave in when he had seen how excited Vera seemed about the prospect. A meeting with the first prospective client since Vera's trial kept him from accompanying the others, so he'd instructed Trucy to be careful while they were out, and to call if things went badly.

"Yes, let's go inside. I want to go with you guys," Vera said quietly, glancing over at Trucy. "Please?"

Trucy paused for a moment to examine Vera's face, waiting to see if her special talent triggered when Vera spoke. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, she breathed a sigh of relief. "All right then," Trucy smiled brightly, clapping her hands together excitedly. Motioning to her companions to follow, Trucy skipped into the mall happily. "Come on you two," Trucy called over her shoulder to hurry her friends along. "Magic awaits!"

Chuckling softly at her friend's antics, Pearl commented cheerfully. "Let's go, Vera. There's no stopping Trucy when she gets like this and we don't want to get left behind."

Vera smiled gently and followed Pearl closely as they jogged over to Trucy who was tapping her foot as she waited for them impatiently. Although still feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the new sights and sounds, Vera found that she was able to control these feelings better. All the time spent working with Trucy, Pearl and especially Apollo over the past two weeks were definitely not wasted

As her thoughts turned the young defense attorney, Vera could feel a smile beginning to stretch across her face. She was surprised by how much she missed having him near her. His smile, his gentle voice... Vera's smile widened as she pictured him in her mind.

"Vera?" Vera jumped, her smile dropping away as Trucy's voice broke through her thoughts. Her eyes darted back and forth between her friends as her cheeks flushed lightly. Forcing Apollo from her mind, Vera forced herself to smile again as she spoke quietly. "I'm sorry. I guess I got a bit distracted. What did you say?"

Shooting Vera a concerned glance, Pearl asked, "Are you all right, Vera?"

"Y-yes, of course I am. Why do you ask?" Vera responded quickly.

"You just seemed off..." Pearl commented, her voice trailing off. Shrugging her shoulders, the young spirit medium finally smiled. "Well, as long as you're sure..."

"So is everything settled then?" Trucy chimed in after the awkwardness had passed, rocking back and forth impatiently. "The magic shop is only going to stay open so long."

Rolling her eyes at her friend's comment, Pearl turned to Trucy. "The magic shop won't be closing anytime soon, Trucy. Besides, there is only so long Vera and I are going to be able to stand being there while you fawn over all the tricks before we're bored," she teased.

"How can anybody get sick of magic?" Trucy asked in wide-eyed disbelief. "Anyway, we should still get going. I even managed to convince Daddy to let me buy a new trick today and I want to find the perfect one." As Trucy spoke, she began walking down the long hallway. Pearl and Vera followed closely behind.

"Really? I thought Nick said that you had enough magic tricks after you bought those three new ones last week," Pearl said, quickening her pace to keep up with her overexcited friend.

"Well, it did take some convincing," Trucy admitted with a grin. "Daddy finally agreed last night though."

Trailing behind the two younger girls as they talked, Vera stared into the windows of the shops, mesmerized by all the various items. There were objects of all different sizes, colors, and shapes. Never before had she seen so much variety in one place. As she passed one window, the display in a large dress shop caught her eye. Coming to a stop in front of the store, Vera examined the gowns. She'd never had clothes like these; after all, it wasn't as though she'd ever had any reason to wear such things when she'd stayed at home all the time.

As she stared at the dresses, she couldn't help but recall the other day, when she visited the Wrights' apartment with Apollo and Trucy. Phoenix's friend, Iris, had stopped by to go out to dinner with him, strictly as friends both of them had insisted, but Vera remembered well how beautiful Iris had looked in the long black dress she had worn and the way Phoenix's eyes had followed her around the room. Laying her hand on the glass, Vera examined the dresses carefully, unable to resist imagining herself in one of them. Would anyone look at her the way Phoenix had watched Iris? Would Apollo?

Her chest tightened and her face flushed at this last thought. She stepped back nervously, suddenly uncertain. Why had her mind drifted to him first and why did his absence suddenly feel so much more painful?

Although she couldn't understand what was going on between Phoenix and Iris, Vera could sense that there was more going on there than met the eye, no matter what they claimed. It was deep and special, on a level she couldn't even hope to comprehend yet, but right now she desperately wanted to be able to make sense of it.

Finding no easy answers available to her, Vera pushed these thoughts back and turned away from the shop to the direction in which her friends had been walking. When she failed to see them there, she suddenly became aware of the crushing loneliness and the unfamilarity surrounding her. A rush of anxiety flooded through her and her throat tightened as she opened her mouth to call out to her friends, but she could only manage a strangled cry. She closed her eyes and gripped her drawing pad so tightly that her fingers began to discolor in her attempt to control the rising fear.

"Vera! Vera! Are you alright?" The young artist stiffened as she heard a girl's voice call to her. Mentally forcing back the panic, Vera recognized the voice as Trucy's. Opening her eyes slowly, Vera peered into the worried faces of Pearl and Trucy.

"Are you okay, Vera?" Pearl asked anxiously, taking another step towards Vera. "We're so sorry! We thought you were right behind us, but when we turned around and realized you weren't there, we hurried back the way we came until we found you."

"I-I'm f-fine," Vera managed to say, her fingers finally loosening a bit around her notebook. Seeing the doubtful looks on both girls' faces, Vera managed a small smile and added, "Really, I am."

With the worst having passed, Trucy let out a relieved sigh. Glancing around the area curiously, Trucy asked, "So how did we get seperated, anyway? Things were going so well."

"Oh," Vera said, covering her mouth in surprise. She could feel her face redden again as her mind turned back to her thoughts from only moments ago. Her eyes darted back to the store window momentarily and sheepishly mumbled, "I just got a bit distracted by this store. Everything was so pretty..."

Stepping close to the window, Trucy stared at the display for a moment. "They are pretty," she agreed with a nod. Turning back to Vera, Trucy smiled at her as she spoke again. "Why don't we go inside then?"

"I think that sounds like a great idea," Pearl chimed in cheerfully, her eyes shining. "Those dresses are perfect for a date with your special someone, aren't they? Think about it. The music, the dancing and...him." Pearl's voice trailed off with an appreciative sigh.

Shooting her friend a sideways look, Trucy crossed her arms thoughtfully. "But I don't have a special someone and neither do you. In fact, Vera doesn't either."

"Yes, that's true, I guess," Pearl said, slightly peevishly. She wasn't fond of having her fantasies interrupted. "That doesn't mean we can't think about those kinds of things, though. After all, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we all find that special someone. Right, Vera?"

Having listened to the conversation with interest, but with only mild understanding, Vera attempted to catch up with her friends. "A... A special someone? What's that?"

"Huh?" Pearl asked, confused by the question. Hesitating, she tried to collect her thoughts so she could think of the best way the concept to Vera. "It's... it's the person you're supposed to be with forever. It's the one you love, but with a love different then you might feel for a parent or sibling."

"So it's a person that you feel that special kind of love for?" Vera asked thoughtfully. She had never heard of such a concept before this. Was this the explanation for that special tie she'd sensed between Phoenix and Iris? Were they each other's special someone?

"Right!" Pearl confirmed happily. "Do you understand then?"

"I-I guess," Vera answered, not actually sure that she did understand. As she followed Pearl and Trucy into the store, she continued to turn the idea over in her mind, surprised that thoughts of Apollo came to her again. Shaking her head firmly in an attempt to clear it, Vera whispered under her breath thoughtfully.

"A special someone...?"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N- And I finally get another chapter posted. I'm sorry that this took so long. So you know, the flowers that appear in the story were chosen for their special meanings. According to this one site I looked at lilacs stand for first love, daisies stand for beauty and innocence, and mimosa stand for secret love. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it. Special thanks to Xero Wright for beta-ing this. Please let me know what you think. Reviews make me happy.

Apollo sighed as he left the detention center, feeling a mix of emotions as he walked away. He had gone there at the request of a prospective client and, although he was thrilled that the meeting had gone well and that he finally had another case after such a long drought, he was more than a little angry with himself over how distracted he had been during the meeting. The overcast sky did not help to improve his mood.

Earlier that day, Vera had chosen to accompany Trucy and Pearl to the mall and, although he was pleased that she felt confident enough for such an action, he couldn't help but worry about her. Shaking his head firmly in a vain attempt to clear his mind, he mentally scolded himself and tried to direct his thoughts towards his new client, but found that he could not quite banish Vera from his mind. He was being silly. Apollo could admit that to himself. Vera's confidence grew every day and one thing he had learned from spending so much time with her was that she was far from weak. There were few people who could undergo everything Vera had been through and still come out of it okay, but she was more then managing it. Vera was flourishing.

Apollo smiled as he thought about her, feeling a strange flutter in his chest as he pictured her lovely face in his mind. He then quickened his pace a bit as he walked towards the office, hoping that Vera would be back.

As he continued to hurry to the office, Apollo found himself so caught up in his own thoughts that he was barely paying attention to where he was going and, as a result, suddenly found himself falling to the ground as his foot connected with an object that he hadn't seen and he tripped. Groaning softly, he pushed himself off the ground. What was with him?

"Are you alright, sir?" An anxious voice came from beside him.

Turning to look at the source of the voice, Apollo saw a woman kneeling beside him, a concerned look on her face. She was older then he was, perhaps in her thirties, with short black hair and brown eyes. "I'm fine," Apollo responded ruefully, his face reddening a bit as the embarrassment hit him. "I... I guess I just wasn't watching my step." Smiling weakly, he rubbed the back of his head.

Seeing that Apollo was indeed okay, the woman smiled at him. "I'm sorry. This is my fault. I should be more careful where I lay my flower pots." Motioning at the shop behind her, she added, "This is my flower shop, but I often like to set up a small stand outside too. I have always believed that you can't truly appreciate the beauty of flowers through glass. You need to see them up close."

"I think that I can agree with that," Apollo responded with a smile. His eyes glancing back to the area where he had tripped, Apollo saw that he had in fact fallen over a small stack of flower pots which had been sitting on the sidewalk. Standing up and brushing himself off, Apollo walked over to the pots to look them over. Relieved to see that they appeared undamaged, he glanced back at the flower shop owner and said, "It looks like they survived intact. I'm sorry. I should have been paying more attention to where I was walking."

"Nonsense," the woman answered. "I should never have laid those pots so far from my stand. I'd like to try and make it up to you. Why don't you take one of these bouquets? You can give it to that special lady in your life."

"My s-special l-lady," Apollo stuttered a bit as he repeated this last part, caught off-guard by the way Vera's image floated through his mind at the thought. Shaking his head quickly, he added, "I-I'm afraid that I don't have one." Hesitating for a moment, he glanced at the flower stand. The various flower arrangements were truly beautiful. It wouldn't really hurt to get Vera a gift... just as a friend of course. "I actually will take one, but I want to pay for it. I'm to blame for this too, so there's no reason that should feel like you need to make anything up to me."

"Are you sure?" the flower shop owner asked, sounding surprised. Seeing Apollo nod, she smiled gratefully at him. Walking towards the nearby stand, she said, "Okay then. Why don't you come over here then? Is there anything specific that you had in mind?"

"Not really," Apollo admitted as he followed the store owner. Indecisively, Apollo examined the flowers, unsure about which ones Vera would like the most. "What would you recommend?"

"That depend on who these flowers are intended for," the flower shop owner answered. "Why don't you tell me a bit about this girl?"

Surprised by the question, Apollo paused for a moment to consider the question. How would he describe Vera? It seemed like such a simple question and yet as he stood there in silence, biting his lip gently, he found that the words seemed to elude him. Becoming painfully aware of the awkward silence that had fallen between them, Apollo forced himself to speak. "Well... she's really kind, gentle, and innocent. Smart, talented... she's just a wonderful person." Apollo smiled broadly as he spoke.

"You seem to be very fond of this girl," the shop owner commented with a knowing smile of her own, noting the way Apollo smiled and spoke so happily about this girl. "I thought you said that you didn't have a girlfriend."

"I-I don't!" Apollo stuttered, surprised by the comment. "Vera's just a friend. I like her a lot, but she's just a friend." Apollo could feel his heart sink as he said these words, surprised at how much the words hurt. But... it was true, wasn't it? After all, he couldn't imagine that she felt anything more for him than friendship. And... his own feelings certainly didn't extend beyond that, right?

"Is that so?" the shop keeper said, interrupting his thoughts; something for which Apollo was very grateful at that moment. Apollo was a bit nervous about following that train of thought any further, although he couldn't explain why that was so. The woman watched him quizzically for several moments before finally smiling again and shrugging her shoulders. "I apologize then. I just assumed... Well, I suppose that it doesn't matter what I thought. I think I have a decent idea what you should get now. If you'll excuse me for a couple minutes, I'll get the bouquet ready."

"Of course. Thank you," Apollo said quickly as the woman disappeared into the store. Waiting patiently for the store keeper to return, Apollo pulled out his notes from his earlier meeting, trying hard to distract himself so that he his mind wouldn't wander back to his previous train of thought. It was a complication that he definitely didn't need now.

After about five or six minutes, the store owner came back out holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Although Apollo didn't know any of the flowers by name, he could see that the arrangement included large lines of small pink flowers, larger white flowers, and small yellow flowers. Although he hadn't expected to be so impressed by the set-up, Apollo had to admit that the arrangement was stunning.

"Here you are," the shop keeper said with a smile, handing over the bouquet. "It has a mix of lilacs, daisies, and mimosas. I thought that... they fit you and your friend."

"Thank you. It's beautiful," Apollo said cheerfully, admiring the flowers. Pulling out his wallet, he quickly paid and bade the friendly shop keeper a good bye with a broad smile.

As he resumed his walk back to the office, it began to drizzle lightly. Pulling the flowers to his chest to protect them, Apollo broke into a jog, hoping to make it back to the office before it really started to pour. Luckily, it wasn't much further back to the office, and Apollo did indeed end up making it inside before the rain really started coming down. As he fumbled for his key, he felt a rush of excitement at the thought of seeing Vera. He dearly hoped that she had returned.

The disappointment that flooded through Apollo as he opened the door to the darkened office surprised him. Flipping on the light, he set down the flowers carefully on a nearby table, dropped his briefcase on one of the couches with a sigh, and flopped down beside it, not quite sure why he felt so upset. The office was just... so empty. Far more empty than he could remember it being recently. Over the past month, the office had never felt like this. Even when Trucy was off at school and Mr. Wright was out working on whatever project he was busy with, Vera had always been there with him, her smile and soft voice always brightening his day. It just felt strange to come back to back to an empty office. Strange and lonely. Biting his lip, Apollo tried to shove these thoughts away. Pulling out the notes he had taken earlier, he tried to bury these unsettling thoughts beneath his work.

The silence was rather stifling and time seemed to crawl by for Apollo. Finally after about ten minutes though, he heard familiar voices coming through the door. Setting aside his work, Apollo jumped to his feet and quickly went to open the door.

"A-Apollo!" Vera cried when she saw him, her eyes shining happily. "W-We weren't sure whether or not you'd be back."

"So you are here, Polly," Trucy chimed in cheerfully. "Vera was hoping that you'd be back."

Apollo's heart beat a bit faster at this comment, but quickly scolded himself. Surely he was overreacting. "Really?"

"Well... yes," Vera said quietly, her face flushing under his steady gaze. Suddenly unable to look at him, Vera's eyes dropped to the ground. "I-I wanted to find out how your meeting went and..." 'I missed you' were the words she really wanted to say, but she couldn't. Instead she said, "I wanted to tell you about our trip to the mall. It was so much fun."

"I'm glad," Apollo smiled. "Where is Pearl anyway? I don't see her now, but I'm certain she went with you two."

"She had to get back to Kurain," Trucy volunteered. "We actually ended up staying at the mall longer than we thought we would, so by the time we left Pearl needed to head home. Speaking of the mall, I got the best trick at the magic shop! I'm going to practice a lot tonight and then I'll perform it for you and Vera tomorrow!"

"Sure, Trucy," Apollo said, amused by the young girl's enthusiasm. Glancing at Vera, he saw her smile and nod excitedly at the idea.

Just before they walked back into the office, Trucy's cell phone rang. "I'll join you guys in a second," she told the pair as she answered the phone.

As Apollo and Vera walked into the office together, he remembered the flowers sitting nearby. Feeling a bit nervous as he retrieved them, he turned to Vera and held them out for with a tentative smile. "I-I got these for you. I thought it might just a nice gift to celebrate how well you've been doing and how brave you've been." Apollo's voice trailed off awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed as he spoke.

"They're so beautiful," Vera whispered happily, taking the flowers from him. Her eyes were shining and her lovely smile lit up her whole face. Then much to Apollo's surprise, Vera impulsively stepped forward and hugged him. Surprised by her boldness, Apollo stiffened for a second, but then happily returned the embrace.

Much to his disappointment, Vera suddenly pulled away, looking shocked by her own behavior. "I-I'm so-rry," she whispered. "I-I don't... know where that came from." And that was true. What were these feelings rushing through her? Why had she felt compelled to do something so out of character for herself? And why did it feel so right when he held her?

"Don't be," Apollo said, trying to bite back his own dissatisfaction. Although the whole experience had been very brief, it had opened his eyes to a few things. The first was that he had indeed developed feelings for Vera beyond those of friendship, he could no longer deny this fact after the happiness that had come to him when he had held her close, and the second being... that she didn't feel the same. The way she had wrenched herself from his arms was proof enough of that fact. Although Apollo realized that this was important for him to know, it was still a bitter realization. Quickly covering up these thoughts, Apollo pasted on a fake smile, determined not to let Vera know. He wouldn't allow his feelings to harm the friendship they had developed. Even if that was all she could offer him, he would take it willingly. "I understand."

"Really?" Vera asked, unsure of how to proceed. Her emotions were now so muddled by this point that she felt paralyzed. As her mind raced and tried desperately to decide on her next move, an awkward silence fell between them.

The silence didn't last long though. Trucy came skipping through the door a minute or so later. "That was Daddy on the phone," she announced cheerfully. "He suggested that we should head over to Mr. Eldoon's noodle stand now and meet him for dinner." As she watched Apollo and Vera, Trucy suddenly came to realize that something wasn't right. "Is... is something wrong?" Glancing back and forth between them, she said, "Apollo? Vera?"

"No, Trucy. Nothing is wrong." Apollo had to take a couple deep breaths to maintain control of his emotions. This was harder than he had ever imagined. "I think dinner sounds like a great idea. What do you think, Vera?"

"I'd like to go see Mr. Wright again," she answered with a shy smile.

"Then it's settled," Apollo smiled at Vera and Trucy. Even as he said the words, however, they felt like lies. Things certainly didn't feel settled.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N- Here is the last chapter. Enjoy! Thanks to everyone who has been following this story and a particularly special thanks to those of you who reviewed or added it to your favorite's list. The encouragement means a great deal to me. Please let me know what you guys think of the ending.

Sitting in the large workroom in her home, Vera sighed as she sat back in her chair for a moment, her eyes inspecting the painting that she was working on for flaws. She couldn't help but smile as she looked at it, feeling rather pleased with herself. It was coming along well and she was very happy with it.

As she stood up for a moment to stretch, Vera's eyes fell on another half-finished painting which was sitting beside her work station and she suddenly felt a wave of guilt, knowing full well that she should be working on that painting instead. After all, she was being paid for that one, while her current project was being done simply for her own enjoyment. Her eyes darted back to the first painting, a picture of the dog that she and Apollo had met while she had just been beginning to overcome her fear of the outside world, and then they fell on the sketch that she had made that day. As she ran her hand over the sketch, she smiled as she remembered how kind and patient Apollo had been with her that day and all the days that had followed. He was very special. Of that, she was quite sure.

Apollo was on her mind more and more these days, more then any of her other friends certainly. Although the situation confused her, she couldn't really say that she disliked it. She liked thinking about him, talking to him, and just being with him in general. Some of those times alone in the office with him, when there was no one else there to interrupt them, were some of the happiest that she had known. She couldn't explain it, but it was true.

As Vera's thoughts turned to Apollo's recent behavior though, a frown flitted across her face. Things had changed in the past week. There was a distance there now that hadn't existed between them before and she hated it. Apollo had always been so open with her in the past and she, in turn, had felt as though there was nothing that she couldn't tell him, but that was not so anymore. It was as though there was a wall there now over which no thoughts or feelings could pass. She just wished that she knew why it had appeared. Maybe then she could figure out some way to make it go away.

Was this new development her fault? She had first noticed the change not longer after she had hugged him. Vera's cheeks flushed at the memory, the old confusion returning to her. Despite her best efforts, she still didn't understand why had she had hugged him like that and why it had made her so happy to do so. It had been a mistake to hug him. She had thought so at the time and she was even more convinced of that now. It had to have been that stupid hug that had ruined everything!

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Vera began to head into the kitchen to get something to drink when a knock at the front door suddenly startled her. She still never accepted strangers in her home and she hadn't been expecting any of her friends. Moving quietly towards the door, she sneaked a tentative glance through the peep hole in the door. A feeling of elation rushed through her as she realized that the person knocking was Apollo.

Vera quickly unlocked the door and opened it up, her eyes sparkling as she greeted him. "Hi, Apollo. Please come inside." Her eyes fell to the ground for a moment as she added, "I-I'm happy to see you."

He smiled back at her as he accepted her invitation to come into the house, although she couldn't help but notice a strange look that flickered across his face for a moment before he had smiled. He set down the small bag that he'd been holding on the ground. "Hi, Vera. I'm happy to see you too." Apollo fell silent for a moment as their eyes met. Quickly redirecting his gaze, he continued, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was just cleaning up the office a bit and I ran across a couple brushes and paints that you left behind. I thought that you might need them." Kneeling down beside the bag, Apollo pulled out a few of her smaller brushes which she had assumed had been lost earlier in the week and a couple paints that had also been missing.

"So, that's where they were," Vera said as she took her art supplies from him. "I was worried that they were gone for good. I particularly didn't want to have to buy those brushed again. Thank you so much for bringing them back."

"No problem," Apollo responded cheerfully, his voice sounding a bit strained much to Vera's surprise. "I-I suppose that I should leave you alone for now. I don't want to be a bother... I'll see you tomorrow at the office."

"You're not a bother," Vera said hurriedly, concern reflected in her eyes as the wall appeared yet again. Why was he so determined to keep his distance now? "C-can't you stay a bit? I-I'd like the company," Vera whispered. "I-I mean..." her voice trailed off shyly as her gaze fell to the ground, no longer able to look at him and suddenly afraid that she was making things worse.

She may not have fully understood her feelings for him, but she had managed to figure out that she cared about him a great deal and the thought of being away from him frightened her more than anything else. But, what could she do? Lost and confused, she could feel her eyes begin to water, but she bit the tears back and forced a smile. "I mean, you should only stay if you want to do so," she mumbled softly.

After a moment of silence which, to Vera, seemed to stretch on for hours, Apollo said, "I'd like to stay if I'm not in the way." Hesitantly, he reached out to hold her hand reassuringly and was rewarded with a bright smile.

Taking a deep breath, Apollo fought to keep his emotions in check. It hurt him to be so close to her and not be able to hold her. Although, he desperately wanted to tell her how he felt about her, he didn't dare. He wouldn't risk ruining their friendship over this. Forcing a smile, he allowed her to lead him into the kitchen.

"Can... can I get you something?" Vera said softly as they stopped by the kitchen table, her cheeks flushing as they stood there together, still holding hands. A feeling of intense disappointment filled her though as Apollo suddenly dropped her hand, his own face looking a bit redder then it had a moment ago, and took a step away from her.

"I-I s-should be o-okay," Apollo's voice trembled as he spoke, trying to ignore the emotions that were welling up inside of him. Perhaps staying like this had been a mistake... the chances that he would say or do something that would betray his feelings for her were skyrocketing by the second. But... he couldn't just leave her alone. Not when she had looked at him like that, so eager and pleading, and not when she had specifically asked him to stay. He cared far too much for her to leave her alone like that when she obviously needed the company, so he would stay as long as she needed him, no matter how hard this became. Taking a deep breath, he fought to calm himself before saying anything else. "I mean if you have something ready or you want to make something for yourself then I might share, but please don't go out of your way for my sake."

"How about some tea?" Vera suggested, biting her lip nervously as she watched his strange behavior carefully. What had she done wrong this time? "I was thinking of making myself some earlier anyway."

"Sure, then," Apollo responded with a nod, smiling weakly as he sat down.

Vera quickly readied two cups of two and hurried over to join Apollo, careful not to spill any of the hot tea. "So, how is the new case that you're working on?" she asked brightly as she poured his tea, hoping to break the awkward silence that had fallen between them.

"Well..." he said slowly as he mixed some sugar into his tea. "It certainly could be going better. The whole thing is still one confusing mess, but at least Trucy and I still have another day to prepare. I might try to track down Mr. Wright tomorrow and see if he can give me some advise." Shaking his head, he added, "And hopefully I'll be able to understand it if he gives it to me. He can be very cryptic when he wants to be and it annoys me to no end at times."

"Why does he do that?" Vera asked curiously.

Apollo shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. I actually asked him once why he wouldn't give me a straight answer and he just smiled at me. I assume he has a reason, and once I decode his advise, it's normally helpful. It's just frustrating sometimes." Seeing the distress that appeared on her face this, he quickly reached forward and gripped her hand reassuringly. "But it's nothing to worry about. Really. The truth always comes out and it's always for the best in the end. My client is innocent, so I'm certain that the truth will come out in court no matter what."

Vera smiled happily, a feeling of contentment falling over her as they held hands. His passion seemed to light up the room and the awkwardness that had plagued their relationship recently seemed fade as he spoke. Feeling the urge to be close to him, she moved her chair next to him.

Suddenly Apollo dropped her hand an pulled away from her, his face unreadable. "M-maybe I-I should l-leave," he stuttered as he stood up, the wall returning.

As fear and frustration ran through her, Vera had to fight the urge to scream. This always happened every time she tried to get close to him and she didn't understand. Had she done something wrong? Did he no longer like her? All she wanted was to be near him and, for a time, she had thought that he enjoyed being with her as well. Why... why had that changed? She could feel tears start to run down her cheeks as she stood, no longer able to hold them back.

"Vera!" Apollo cried worriedly, unsure of how to respond. He desperately wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, but he didn't want to give the depth of his feelings away and scare her more. It hurt him to see her so upset though and he couldn't bear the idea of doing nothing. Compromising a bit, he took a step towards her and wrapped his hand around her's. "What's wrong?"

"P-Please don't leave," she sobbed, the words so soft that they were barely audible. "Please. I-I want y-you to stay."

Although confused by her reaction, he was quick to try and reassure her. "I'll stay, Vera. I'll stay as long as you need me." Using his free hand to wipe the tears from her eyes as her crying slowed and then stopped, he couldn't help but notice that there was something different reflected in them as she looked at him and it made him reevaluate the situation. Was it possible that he had misread the situation earlier? Could she really care for him as he cared for her. His mind raced as he thought through the last couple months and the words slipped from his mouth before he could stop them. "Vera... how do you feel about me?"

"What?" she asked, confused by the strange question. She hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

Apollo blushed, regretting his words. "Nothing. Forget that I said anything. It's stupid."

"But..." Vera whispered, remembering Apollo's earlier words. "_The truth always comes out and it's always for the best in the end." _Perhaps what was needed now was the truth. Maybe he could help her understand all these feelings that she had for him. Swallowing her fear and looking away, she said softly. "I-I care about you a great deal. It's hard to explain. You're my friend, but you mean more to me than any of my other friends. A lot more. I wish I knew how to explain this better, but I... I'm not sure I understand it myself. I've never felt this way before." Vera was trembling when she finally stopped talking, feeling very exposed. Suddenly, she was no longer certain that she had done the right thing. What would she do if he didn't understand... if he didn't return her feelings? Feeling a bit sick, she desperately wished that she could take back her words.

"Oh, Vera," Apollo whispered, dispelling her fears by wrapping his arms around her. "I-I didn't realize that... you might think of me as anything more than a friend. That you might care about me as I do about you." He stopped himself from saying that he thought that he might love her. It was too soon. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

As she met his gaze, tears came to her eyes again, but this time they were tears of happiness and not fear. "Only if you can forgive me for not telling you sooner. I guess we've both been a bit stupid."

"I guess," Apollo said with a laugh. Leaning down, he kissed her lips gently, barely believing that he could be so lucky.

Vera stiffened for a moment as she felt his lips touch her own, but then relaxed as a rush of pleasure flooded through her. Taking a step forward, she returned the kiss as lovingly as it had been offered. As they parted, Vera rested her head on his chest and sighed contently. For the next few minutes, no more words passed between them. There was no need. All that mattered at that moment was that they were together.


End file.
